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1 EASTERN TOWNSHIPS SCHOOL BOARD Title: PROCEDURE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF STUDENT RECORDS Source: Archives Secretary General Adopted: ETSB Effective as of February 2005 Reference Number: P002-1 SEE ATTACHED DOCUMENT (21 PAGES)

2 EASTERN TOWNSHIPS SCHOOL BOARD SECRETARIATE GENERAL JANUARY 2005

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4 TABLE OF CONTENTS GENERAL PRINCIPLES... 3 CHAPTER 1 STUDENT ACADEMIC RECORD Opening and filing the academic record General education Adult general education Vocational education Filing Academic record contents Adult general education only Vocational education only Accessibility to academic records Transmitting the academic record A student moves to another school within the School Board A student completes elementary school and begins secondary school A student moves from secondary school to a vocational education or adult education centre A student leaves the School Board to go to another school board or institution When a student permanently leaves the School Board Transfer, conservation and destruction of information contained in an academic record CHAPTER 2 CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD Opening and filing the confidential student record Confidential student record contents Accessibility to confidential student records Transmitting information from the confidential student record A student moves to another school within the School Board A student leaves the School Board to go to another school board or institution Conservation and destruction of information contained in a confidential student record CONCLUSION APPENDIX 1 - TABLE: STUDENT RECORD MANAGEMENT REFERENCES... 16

5 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 3 GENERAL PRINCIPLES This procedure standardizes operations for student record management by setting rules for creating, organizing, using, transmitting, accessing, updating, conserving and destroying information. It is up to the Eastern Townships School Board (hereafter called the School Board) to decide the number and type of files to use to record student information. However, these records must respect personal data protection and access regulations. Three types of student files should be created, in accordance with current laws and school board administrative procedures: 1) academic record; 2) confidential student record; 3) professional record. The last type, professional record, is not covered by the current procedure.

6 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 4 CHAPTER 1 - STUDENT ACADEMIC RECORD The student s academic record includes all recorded information of an administrative and educational nature, such as the student s admission, academic results and ranking. 1.1 OPENING AND FILING THE ACADEMIC RECORD When a new student is registered, the school shall: - open a record in the student s name, if he/she has never attended a school within the School Board or - retrieve the record from the last school or centre the student attended, if he/she attended a school within the School Board. For each student registered at the School Board, the school or centre administration must ensure that a file (legal file folder) is opened and identified with the following information: General education LAST NAME, FIRST NAME PERMANENT CODE BIRTHDATE NAME OF PARENTS OR GUARDIAN Adult general education LAST NAME, FIRST NAME PERMANENT CODE BIRTHDATE Vocational education LAST NAME, FIRST NAME PERMANENT CODE BIRTHDATE SCHOOL YEAR THE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION DIPLOMA WAS STARTED

7 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT Filing The academic record must be filed in alphabetical order and kept in a filing cabinet or storage unit that ensures confidentiality. Within each file, documents must be filed in chronological order, with the most recent at the front. Moreover, an access control sheet shall be created and placed in each file. The form indicates the name of the person who accessed the record, as well as each date it was consulted. 1.2 ACADEMIC RECORD CONTENTS The academic record must contain all documents required by law to allow the student s progress at different levels ( Passe-partout program, preschool, elementary, secondary school and adult education) and at different levels of vocational education to be monitored. It should also allow the record to be transmitted elsewhere, if required. A - The student s academic record must include: authorization granted for an exemption request; documents relating to orientation and francization; elementary school report cards from the first to the last year of schooling completed and, if necessary, the partial report card for the last year of attendance; identification document (original of the act of civil status, original baptismal certificate, change of permanent code or other document that is a certified copy of the original); notice of departure, when applicable; preschool report card, when applicable; proof of attendance on September 30 or proof of attendance 1 ; proof of eligibility for English instruction; record of attendance (record of attendance and absences) 2. The Avis écrits aux parents (written notice to parents) and Les signalements à la Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (youth protection description) forms must be kept in the confidential student records; report cards for students registered in special needs classes (students with handicaps or social maladjustments or learning disabilities); report or confirmation of attendance and absence in the Passe-partout program; secondary school report cards up until the last year completed and, if necessary, the partial report card for the last year of attendance; student s schedule 3 ; B - sworn declaration (in exceptional circumstances). The student s academic record may, at one time or another, contain the following documents: May be kept in an administrative file. May be kept in an administrative file. The student s schedule must be kept; normally it is not kept in the academic file but in an administrative file.

8 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 6 annual registration form, including Passe-partout program; application for review of marks or to repeat an exam; attendance exemption for more than 10 days; choice of school form; course selection and related documents (course change form); enrolment and registration application; health form; home services; judgment concerning custody, visiting rights or termination of parental rights; ministère de l Éducation transcript; notice of arrival (after September 30); notice of registration or student admission certificate from another institution; parental authorization to transfer student information; proof of residency in Quebec or Canadian citizenship card; report cards issued by other school boards; school information sheet (organization plan, transportation, emergency) Adult general education only A - The student s academic record must contain: declaration of student population identification document (original of the act of civil status, original baptismal certificate, change of permanent code or other document that is a certified copy of the original); record of attendance (record of attendance and absences) 4. The Avis écrist aux parents (written notice to parents) and Les signalements à la Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (youth protection description) forms must be kept in the confidential student record; student s schedule 5 ; training profile or plan. 4 5 May be kept in an administrative file. The student s schedule must be kept; normally it is not kept in the academic file but in an administrative file.

9 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 7 B - In addition to the documents outlined in 1.2.B, the following documents may be found in the academic record for adult general education: adult general education exam; attestation of equivalency and results of equivalency examinations; attestation of internships or capabilities; placement and equivalency tests; recognition of knowledge (GDT, SSET, etc.); results obtained in each subject leading to a diploma; statement of learning; training certificate in social and occupational integration; transcripts or relevant documents for enrolment purposes or training status Vocational education only A - The student academic record must include: attestation of vocational education; attestation of vocational specialization; attestation of internships or capabilities; diploma of vocational studies; identification document (original of the act of civil status, original baptismal certificate, change of permanent code or other document that is a certified copy of the original); record of attendance (record of attendance and absences) 6. The Avis écrits aux parents (written notice to parents) and Les signalements à la Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (youth protection description) forms must be kept in the confidential student record; statement of competency; student s schedule 7 ; training profile or plan; vocational exam. 6 7 May be kept in an administrative file. The student s schedule must be kept; normally it is not kept in the academic file but in an administrative file.

10 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 8 B - In addition to the documents outlined in 1.2.B., the following documents may be found in the academic record for vocational education: attestation of equivalency and results of equivalency examinations; placement and equivalency tests; recognition of knowledge (GDT, SSET, etc.); report cards for general education courses taken at the same time as vocational education; statement of learning; transcripts or relevant documents for enrolment purposes or training status. 1.3 ACCESSIBILITY TO ACADEMIC RECORDS The academic record is the School Board s responsibility; access rules are dictated by An Act respecting access to documents held by public bodies and the protection of personal information (hereafter called Access to documents Act). Academic records must be kept in a secure area that ensures confidentiality preferably under lock and key. Only authorized persons will have access to all or part of the information. It is absolutely essential to maintain control over the circulation of academic records. Authorized persons must complete the Access control sheet. The following people are authorized to consult the academic record or part of it: students 14 years of age and older (their own record); parent(s) or guardian(s) of a student who is a minor; administrative personnel at the school responsible for educating the student in question; secretarial staff mandated by the school the student attends to respond to authorized requests for consultation; professional personnel who are responsible for the student in question; teachers who are responsible for educating the student; auditors; School Board managerial, professional and secretarial staff whose responsibilities are directly related to the educational training and development of the student in question, among others: - educational or complementary services staff (registration, agreements, exemptions and eligibility for English instruction); - data processing personnel (scheduling and report card entry); - transportation personnel; - person responsible for document access and personnel responsible for administrative and archival document management;

11 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 9 - the Minister of Education or his/her representative; - researchers, on the condition that they have authorization from the School Board following a written request to the person responsible for document access. A student who leaves the school may obtain from the School Board a copy, extract or summary of is/her academic record, according to current School Board procedures. 1.4 TRANSMITTING THE ACADEMIC RECORD A student moves to another school within the School Board When a student must change schools to continue his/her education within the School Board and the academic record is held at the school, the original and complete file is automatically transferred to the administration of the school the student will attend. A copy of the academic record will not be kept at the former school. The academic record is the responsibility of the School Board, not the school, and there is no reason to maintain more than one copy of a student s record within the same school board. Moreover, the existence of several copies of the same record increases the risk that the personal information it contains will be circulated A student completes elementary school and begins secondary school When a student moves from elementary to secondary school, the original school automatically sends the original and complete record to the secondary school administration. A copy of the academic record is not kept at the former school A student moves from a secondary school to a vocational education centre or adult education centre When a student moves from a secondary school to a vocational education centre or adult education centre, the secondary school forwards the centre a copy of the documents as authorized by the student or the student s parent or guardian. When a student leaves a vocational education or adult education centre for another centre within the School Board, the record accompanies the student A student leaves the School Board to go to another school board or institution When a student leaves the School Board for another board or another institution, the school forwards a copy of the documents as authorized by the student or the parent or guardian of a student who is a minor When a student permanently leaves the School Board When a student permanently leaves school before finishing secondary school or when he/she finishes secondary school with a DES, DEP or ASP, the academic record remains with the secondary school in the corresponding region.

12 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT TRANSFER, CONSERVATION AND DESTRUCTION OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN AN ACADEMIC RECORD The original elementary school keeps the academic record for three (3) years and then transfers it, with a transmission form, to the person responsible for maintaining the semi-active academic records at the secondary school in the corresponding region (Alexander Galt Regional High School, Massey-Vanier High School, Richmond Regional High School), after removing documents to be destroyed. Student academic records must be sent after October 1, once an audit has been conducted. The School Board s conservation schedule specifies documents to be retained and timelines to be respected. The school administration is responsible for destroying documents within the academic record and doing so in a way that ensures security and confidentiality, such as by shredding. The classification, process and disposal of documents included in the academic record are found in APPENDIX 1.

13 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 11 CHAPTER 2 - CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD The confidential student record includes all recorded data concerning a student s progress at school in terms of the individual help that has been provided to him/her. It includes the up-to-date individualized education plan. It also includes notices, evaluations or recommendations from personnel used to monitor the student s progress, where this information is not protected under professional secrecy. All information must be signed and dated. 2.1 OPENING AND FILING THE CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD A confidential student record is not generally kept and maintained except for students whose particular needs require the sharing of information by several people. This is specifically required when an adapted individual education plan is put into effect. The system must indicate who has access to this record. In certain cases however, a confidential student record will be kept for a student for whom an individual education plan is not required by law, in order to record reports, notices and recommendations from staff, as well as information concerning the student s progress. The confidential student record is created by the school principal. The school administration ensures that a file (legal size folder) is opened. Attaching a colour sticker in an obvious place on the file or using a different coloured folder is recommended to distinguish it from other folders. Each confidential student record must be identified as follows: LAST NAME, FIRST NAME PERMANENT CODE An Access control sheet is placed in each file. The sheet indicates the name of the person who accessed the record, as well as each date it was consulted. The confidential student record must be filed in alphabetical order and kept in a filing cabinet or storage unit that ensures confidentiality. Within each file, documents must be filed in chronological order, with the most recent at the front. This file contains student information, from school personnel, that others should know about in order to better evaluate the student s needs, and which is not subject to professional secrecy. The file is the school administration s responsibility and it is up to them to ensure that information no longer useful for the purposes for which it was collected, is regularly removed from the file.

14 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD CONTENTS The confidential student record may contain one or more of the following: admission to complementary services; case study report; chronology of interventions or student progress sheet; comments and letters sent to the parents; educational services individual education plan; follow-up sheet; Les signalements à la Direction de la protection de la jeunesse (youth protection description) form; observations, notices, evaluations and recommendations made by professionals following a mandate to intervene by the School Board; observation reports provided by teachers or other staff; parental authorization form; reports from staff responsible for the student s re-education, readaptation or remedial education; request for accompaniment for a handicapped student, etc; student behaviour reports while at school 8 ; tests. 2.3 ACCESSIBILITY TO CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORDS As with the academic record, access rules governing the confidential student record are dictated by the Access to documents Act. The student, parents or guardians of a student who is a minor and anyone whose duties are related to the student may have access to documents included in the confidential student record. The confidential nature of the personal information contained in this file must be respected by those who have access. 2.4 TRANSMITTING INFORMATION FROM THE CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD There are two ways to transmit information from the confidential student record: when a student changes schools within the same school board, or when he/she goes to another school board or institution. 8 This information must be considered solely as a work tool to monitor the student s progress. It may be preferable to remove these reports from the confidential student record and destroy them at the end of each cycle.

15 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT A student moves to another school within the School Board When a student changes schools within the School Board, even if he/she goes from elementary to secondary school, his/her individual education plan, some information concerning teaching interventions and any other necessary documents from the confidential student record may be forwarded to another school. All comments or information that are not absolutely necessary for student follow-up should not be transmitted and must be destroyed when the student begins attending the new school A student leaves the School Board to go to another school board or institution If the student changes school boards or registers at another institution, readaptation centre or hospital, a copy, extract or summary of the file may be transmitted by request and with permission of the student, or the parent or guardian of a student who is a minor. The file remains the property of the School Board. The needs criterion must be applied such that only the individual education plan and the information concerning educational interventions required for ensuring student follow-up are transmitted. 2.5 CONSERVATION AND DESTRUCTION OF INFORMATION CONTAINED IN A CONFIDENTIAL STUDENT RECORD In contrast to the academic record, the confidential student record for a student who is no longer at school within the School Board is kept for three (3) years after the final intervention and then destroyed according to the School Board s conservation schedule.

16 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 14 CONCLUSION Deciding what is absolutely necessary for the organization to ensure the student s best interest, and what is unnecessary and may cause prejudice to the student, is a judgment call. There are always grey areas that must be clarified as well as possible in light of the laws, while also respecting the school board s position and its preferences regarding this issue. 9 After reading this procedure, we hope that each and every one of you will be more vigilant regarding the protection of personal information. In your work environment and that you will consider it your responsibility. 9 Ministère de l Éducation, Direction de l adaptation scolaire et des services complémentaires. La protection des renseignements personnels à l école, Document d information, page 2. Adapted from the French.

17 STUDENT RECORD FILE MANAGEMENT 15 APPENDIX 1 - TABLE: STUDENT RECORD MANAGEMENT